Slaughtering apparatus



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No. 233,698. Patented Oct. 26,1880.

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2 Sheets-"Sheet 2. H. P, RANKIN. Slaughterng Apparatus.

No. 233,698. Patented Oct. 26,1880.

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PETERS PHOYo-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON n C STATES FFICE.;

Artnr HUGH P. BANKIN, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLAUGHTERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,698, dated October 26, 1880.

Application tiled February 13, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH P. BANKIN, of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Slaughtering, and for other Purposes, such as lifting railroad-iron, loading and unloading cars and boats, transporting material in machine-shops, warehouses, mills, Src.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus of slaughtering-houses intended to suspend and convey hogs from the stock-pen to the scalding-trough, and it consists in an improved suspending and carrying apparatus, which will be hereinafterfully explained, and in the combination therewith of a curved elevated runway leading from above the pen to a point over the scalding-trough and back again to the pen, and so inclined that the device suspending the animal will, without leaving the track, advance by gravity alone from one end of the track to the other.

Iam aware that elevated tracks and traveling carriers have been used in slaughtering, and that such carriers have been provided with grapnels, so that an animal or other object might be suspended and transported. I am also aware that hooks have been pivoted and held by latches, as in boatdetachers, &c.; and therefore I do not claim either the carrier, the track, or the hook, broadly. I am not, however, aware that a track, sidemounted carrier, and a pivoted hook have before been combined in the manner shown and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l of the drawings shows a cross-section ot' the elevated track with a hog suspended thereon by means of my improved shackle-carrier. Fig. 2 is aside view of the shackle-carrier. Fig. 3 shows the shackle-carrier in side view, as it appears on its return to the pen upon the track after the hog has been dropped. Fig. 4 shows the elevated track in its relation to the pen and scaldingtrough with a break-bar swung over the track to arrest the hog thereon before it reaches the scaldin g-trou gh.

T is a track suspended from the ceiiing by the hangers H H and extending from above the pen P to a point over the scalding-trough S and back again to thepen. The higher end of the track is designated by the letter B and thelower end by the letter L. Thebend therein is marked T. At the higher end, B, of the track or runway is located a hoisting device. (Not shown in the drawings.)

The shackle and carrier consists ot' the following parts, operating as described below: A is a cast or wrought iron body provided with the grooved wheel w at the top tted to the track T. At its lower end the body A is provided with the deep slot s, within which is pivoted the hook B having the arm B. Said slot is long enough to let the arm B swing freely through it. At d is pivoted the catch C having the slot c to receive the end of the arm B', and thereby arrest the hook B in position to support the hog.

D is a shackle-chain provided at one end with the wide open hook F adapted to pass over the links freely, and at the other end with the rings I I large enough to readily slip over the hook B. The chain D is passed around the hogs leg in the pen and hooked as shown in Fig. 1. By means of the hoisting apparatus located over the pen the hog is then lifted by the chain D to the proper elevation near the higher end, B, of the track T, where the carrier A is held in place on the track by an attendant to receive it. Said attendant passes one of the links I I over the hook B, lowers and detaches the hoisting-chain, and hooks the snap s of the slack-chain E int-o the eye e ofthe hook F. The hog then passes onward, is stuck, and as it bleeds approaches the bend T of the track over the scalding-tub S. If not dead or through bleeding, or if not wanted at once, the carrier is arrested by the bar G, pivoted to the ceiling, and swung over the track against an adj acenthanger, H. When the hog is ready for the scald or when it is wanted the bar G is lifted over the top of the carrier and dropped behind it to similarly ar rest the next one to come. At the proper point on the track for the hog to fall into the tub the attendant throws up the outer end of the arm or catch C, thereby releasing the arm B and letting the hook B drop under the weight ofthe animal. The slack-chain E, se-

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cured to the body A of the carrier at g or else- Where, supports the'hookF. The released chain slips through said hook, and while the hog 1s disengaged the chain D is retained by the carrier, as shown in Fig. 3, and is with it returned to the pen on the declining track T.

'Ihe extremities R and L of the track are near each other, so that the attendant may conveniently lift the carriers from one to the other as Wanted.

The pivoted catch-arm C bears against the body A at z', and is thereby held up in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to be lifted by the arm B when the hook B is rotated, and toautomatically engage the said arm to retain the hook in position to receive the shacklechain D.

The apparatus is, of course, equally applicable to the slaughtering of other animals than hogs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The carrier fitted to ride the track and provided with the pivoted hook and a catch adapted to hold the hook in position, and to release the same, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the shackle-chain D and the carrier having a pivoted hook and catch, as described, the slack-chain E, attached to the carrier and having the hook or snap s, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The carrier composed of the body A, having'the slot S, the curved hook B, pivot-ed in said slot, the arm G, pivotally sustained in position to automatically engage the arm B of the hook, the Wheel w, and the chain E, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

4. In a slaughtering apparatus, the combination, with a shackle-carrier provided with a pivoted hook, whereby it is adapted to discharge its load Without leaving the track, of the curved inclined track T, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination with the track and carrier, the pivotally-suspended bar G, adapted to swing over the track and to arrest the carrier, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH P. RANKIN.

Vitnesses:

JOHN B. WILLs, SAMUEL LONG.v 

